Outlet collar flange



May 1, 1945. R@ HAYNES 2,374,993

OUTLET COLLAR FLANGE Filed Oct. l5, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l /TTOR/VE Y6.

' 7 UNITED .for mounting the boxl devices oflthatv type ftionappertains. I

With the above and other objectsV in view,' 'which will appear4 as thedescription proceeds,

Patented May 1, 1945 j a l. onTLET COLLAR FLANGE L Robert Haynes, SanFrancisco, Calif* [Application october 13,1943, serialNo. 506,117 4 3Claims. y(o1. 22o-3.3)

' In many places vvhfere''electricall` outlet boxes areirequired,especiallyin connection with old work, there isnot suilcientworking roomvfor a proper installation, such as could be 'cloneV on new work, andwhen the .ordinary boxand hang- 'er are employed, thefhanger bar restson the upper surface o f the ceiling. `There is no way of fastening thehanger bar, unless the ceiling is cut away to give access to the,lhanger: but Aa cutting away of the ceiling is"undesira`ble, becauseitcalls a plasterer on the job, to close the breachin the ceiling.

The present invention aims to provide such `astructure whereby `thedifficulties above referred to may be remedied,` novel means beingemployed n kin "place and holding it securely anchored.`

It is within the `province Aof the disclosure to improve generally"andto enhance the utility of 'the invention resides in the combinationand arrangement of parts and in the details of conf structionhereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes inthe precise embodiment of theinvention herein disclosed, may be madewithin the scope of what is claimed,

Without departing from the spiritof the inven-l tion.

In the drawings:

Fig, 1 shows in transverse section, on the line I-I of Fig. 2, a. deviceconstructed in accordance with the invention, most parts appearing intop plan;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view showing another modified form ofthe invention;

`to which the present inven- Fig. 8 is an elevation showing a furthermodi- I cation of the invention; and

Fig. 9 is a vertical section of the structure disclosed in Fig. 8.

The device forming, the subject matter of this invention, may be made ofmetal throughout, although some other material may be employedelectrical outlet structure, comprising an elongated clamp plate I`(Figs. 1 and 2), which is narrow enoughito be passed through a hole 2in a barrierY 3, such as a ceiling. The clamp plate I engages onesurface 4 of the barrier 3. The

A base plate. Sis provided, the base platehaving an opening 1registering with theopening 5 of the clamp plate I.` The base `platei isof such size `as to engage Vthe opposite surface 9 of the barrier, andto overlapthe barrier, about the hole'2. f "Ti'ghtening devicesB, suchasscrews,I kconnect the base plate 6 andtheclamp platelI-,to cause themto bind upon the barrier 3. "The tightening devices 8 are spaced apartat such distance that they` pass` through `the -hole 2` inthe barrier 3.

An inverted, cup-shaped box Illis supplied, and means is provided forconnecting the box with the base plate, in communication with theopening 1 therein. I

The deviceformingfthe subject matter of this application includesmodifications, and generic structure has been described, up to thispoint.

About its opening "I, the base plate 6 is provided with anupstandinglintegral collar I l (Figs. 1 and 2) which islpolygonal; andpreferably octagonal ini cross secticn.I Nearits upper end,`the

collarII is slit asv shown at I2, to fashion-in-` posed, inwardlyprojecting ears I8, disposed directly above the ears I6 of the baseplate 6. The box Il] is octagonal in cross section, and fits againstrotation, within `the collar II, the box resting von the stop tonguesI4.

Securing elements 20, such as screws, are engaged with the ears I6 andI8, to hold the box I0 in place. 'Ihe ears I5 may carry `screws Il,employed to hold a closure 2| (shown in dash line in Fig. 2) against thebase plate 6, the closure extending across the opening 1 of the baseplate or the screws I'I may be employed to hold in place, a hanger baror other electrical fixture not shown.

the operator locates the box IU above the ceiling if there is a scarcityof`metal. It includes an 3, and attaches the flexible wiring conduits(not `one shown in Fig. 7.

shown). The collar H is slipped upwardly through the ceiling-hole 2until the base plate or ange 6 is close to the ceiling 3, and the screws8 are set up to clamping position. The operator reaches upwardly withone hand through the collar Il and pulls down the box Il) until it iswithin the collar and resting on the stop ears I4. By means of the otherhand, draw screws 20 are mounted in the ears I6 and I8, and aretightened, and the partsappear as in Fig, 2,

The construction is such that the box 1D Vis spaced from the base plate6 `by 'a greater distance than ordinary, to provide a structure ofgreater height than the one shown in Fig. 7, which is to be describedhereinafter.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the collar Il is integral with thebase plate 6. This detail is not necessary, as Figs. 3, 4, ands show. Inthe figures last mentioned, parts hereinbefore described have beendesignated by numerals already used, with the suflixa Thecollar .l ia isprovided at its lower end with dependingflngers 22, adaptedvto beinserted through openings .23 in the'base plate 6a. When the ngers 22are bent upwardly, :they distort or hump upwardly small reception ofthebent portions of the ngers 22.

The construction is such that a smooth surface is provided, to receivethe blanking disc or closure .21 of Fig. 2.

. AIn Fig. 7 the collar H of Fig. 2, or thecollar VvHa. of 4Figli, hasbeen omitted, parts hereinbefore describedhaving been designated bynum-erals already used, with the suiiix b. The ears I8b of the box Ibrest immediately upon the ears .Ibrof the `base plate 5b, and the screws29h connect the parts specified.

l)En Figs. 8 and 9 there is shown a form of the invention which isadapted to .be used to house a switch structure, parts hereinbeforedescribed having been designated by numerals already used, with thesuiiix e.

This .form of the invention .is much .like the The ears 15e ofthe baseplate .6e lare provided with openings 24, for the reception of thebinding screws 20c, and on opposite sides of each opening 24 there areother openings 25 which facilitate the mounting of the switch in place.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. An electrical housing structure comprising a clamp plate having anopening, a base plate spaced from the clamp plate and having an opening.registering with the .opening of the clamp plate, a collar carried .bythe base plate-and distures, an adjustable tightening device connectingthe inwardly projecting structures of the box and ci' the base plate, tohold the box seated lon the stop (means, and an adjustable tighteningdevice connecting the base plate with the clamp plate .andlocatedoutwardly -of the collar.

2, An electrical housing structure constructed as set Iorthin claim l,and wherein the collar and the base plate are integral.

.3. An electrical housing structure comprising a .clamp plate having anopening,'a base plate spaced fromthe clamp plate and having an openingregistering with the opening of the clamp plate, a collar carried by thebase plate and disposed about the opening of the base plate, the collarextending through the opening oi the clamp plate and Ihaving inwardlyprojecting stop means, an inverted box extended within the A.collar andseated on the stop means, the box and the base plate having inwardlyprojecting structures. an adjustable tightening device connecting theinwardly projecting structures of the box and of .the base plate, tohold the box seated on the stop means, an adjustable tightening deviceconnecting the base plate with the clamp plate and .located outwardly ofthe collar, the base plate being provided with inwardly projecting ears,and adjustable tightening devices mounted

